Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-05-12
MYSTERY OF THE SEA.
Stanch, Tight Schooner Picked Up in Mid
Ocean with All Sails Set.
New York Sun.

The sea is of itself mystery, but the
mysteries of the sea are so many and
deep, and are added to each month. A
ships boat, from which the name has
carefully been obliterated, and which
holds the emaciated bodies of two men
who have starved to death, is picked up
in the Pacific to-day; tomorrow Gun
arder crossing the Atlantic reports see-
ing a sailing ship bottom up; next dav
derelict schooner sails herself into some
port In the Caribbean sea, and nothing
can be learned of the crew who manned
her. And it may be that on the next
some great steamer leaves port on her
voyage to Europe and is never heard of
more. AS an old sailor I have had the
lick to encounter some of these strange
things, and will relate the incidents
without exaggeration.
: In the year 1861 I was mate of brig
called the Henry and William, sailing be-
tween San Francisco and the Sandwich
islands. She was a small, snug vessel
fast sailer, and the captain was William
Lansing. He and his brother Henry were
the owners and the brig was named after
them. just at daylight one June morn
ing in the year / have mentioned, while
we were 300 miles froz3 the islands,
schooner was sighted dead ahead. We
had fair breeze over the starboard
quarter, and the schooner had all sail set
and was making good progress. Sails
were not an unusual sight on that route,
and we gave the stranger little attention
until we found that we were overhauling
her. She was exactly on the true course
to the islands, and we were therefore
in her wake. She was hull down
when we first discovered her, but
by the time we had washed down.
and breakfast had been served
she was not over two miles ahead. There
were some smart sehOoners flying in that
trade, aud the fact eff our outsailinQ this
one so handsomely put us in good spirits.
We were hummIng along after her st
nine or ten knots an hour, when she sud
denly came up into the wind in the most
lubberly fashion, -shivered there for a
moment, and then preached to and was
driven of before the wind sideways. It
was lucky for her that the breeze was no
stronger, for the schooner was light and
the movement would have brought GEsas-
ter,
As soon as / saw the schooner in tn ouble
[ seized the glass and ran half way o the
fore shroudS, -anE it wasn't q minute be-
fore | made the discovery that her decks
were entirely clear of men. At this hour
of the morning both watches should have
been on deck, but not sailor was visible.
This was an run-heard of occCprence
but, as she had nc-signal of distress fly
ing, and stood too high in the
water to have been abandoned for aIeak-
ing vessel, could hardly credit nv
vision. I looked again and agaie, exam
lining every foot of her docks, bat it was
plain fact that not living person ives
in sight. | reported the matter TO the
captain, and by that time we were so
close aboard that~alI our crew could note
the condition OF things with the naked
eye. Oar ships bell was rung, and the
men shouted in chorus, but nothing came
of 1T. dt was then determined to board
her. and as the brig was laid 90, went
OF with three men in the yaNl and was
soon at the strangers side. was bum
ing with curiosity at the start, but the
nearer we approached the strangsr the
more curiosity gave way so awe and fear.
There had been some terrible work
aboard of her, or she would not be in
that condition. Had a malignant foyer
taken off the last of the crew, or Yves 1T
mutiny and its CHASTITY consequences.
waited a long minute after hooking or to
her forecha1ns todisten for some sound
aboard, but the stiffness of death reigned
from bowspirit to companionway.
nodded to one of the men TO come along,
and the next moment was over her bows
had expected tom eet with some shock
ing sight, but was disappointed. The
decks were free and passably clear of
raSae. Some Of the coils had fallen off
their Delaying pins. and / could see ct a
glance that the decks had not been washed
for several days, but aside from this
could detect nothing out of the way.
The scuttle ives drawn, over the foreeastle
entrance and bodted. My first action was
TO open this, and the Eush of air told aae
that the foreeastle had not been venti-
lated for several days. Selling capstsa
bar which leaned against the anchor
wlndiass, pounded smaEtly on the deck
and called out to know if anybody YVES
below, but no answer came. The man
with me, who was an old salt, grew sc
nervous that he would have returned to
the boat but for my positive commands
to the contrary. As soon as satisfied that
the forecastle was clear of men / felt that
the schooner was deserted and we at once
lowered away the sails. This checked
her drift, and the brig tanned on her heel
and came down close to us again.
The next point for inspection was the
cabin. | went down alone, and in two or
three minutes was satisfied that 1t had no
occupants, living or dead. There was no
dIsorder-no sign o. haste or plumber. I
was shifting the air as | moved about, and
could detect no odor TO prove that an
epidemic had ragged. When 1 went on
deck the brig was within speaking dis
lance, drifting at the same pace as the
schooner, and informed Capt. Lansing
of the state of affairs and sent the boat to
bring him over. When he came we de-
seended into the forecastle and lighted
the lamp, There was plenty of Oil in it,
proving that some hand had turned out
the light in the usual way. We then went
TO the cabin. Everything appeared as if
the officers had simply gone on deck, ex-
eept that there was not single article of
wearing apparel. This was likewise true
of the forecashe. We looked for the
schoonerss log, but 1T was gone, as also
were her papers and charts. We rum
mayed the cabin for half an hour,
but found nothing whatever to enlighten
Her 10 hau hoa thoI